I am pleased to announce In-Market Experience Scholarships worth $90,000 to three innovative agribusiness people as part of the Commonwealth's New Industries Development Programme (NIDP).
The three winners are Rick Martin of Australian Cartilage Company, Cootamundra, NSW; Stephen Jeffers of Phoolbari Park Nurseries, Palmwoods, Queensland; and Simone Tully of OBE Beef Pty Limited, Cunnamulla, Queensland.
These awards recognise the efforts of Australians who are opening up new markets through their ingenuity and skill. They highlight the Government's commitment to revitalising regional Australia.
For Australian agribusiness to be competitive we need to continue to build the pool of agribusiness managers with commercial experience in developing new products, services and technologies for new markets. I know these recipients will maximise the opportunities that come with this Scholarship.
The awards will provide opportunities on three key fronts - practical hands-on experience to agribusiness entrepreneurs in better understanding their markets; financial assistance to upgrade skills and knowledge to do their job with greater confidence, and most importantly, they will encourage the ingenuity of Australians who are making things happen.
Rick Martin, General Manager, Australian Cartilage Company, Cootamundra, NSW will further his commitment to establishing Liquid Cartilage, a neutriceutical to aid in the treatment of cancer and arthritis in global markets.
Stephen Jeffers, Manager, Phoolbari Park Nurseries, Palmwoods Queensland will look at the production of commercially grown Australian native cut foliage to supply the highly valued domestic and export floristry markets.
Simone Tully, Company Secretary and Business Manager, OBE Beef Pty Limited, Cunnamulla, Queensland will use the scholarship to assist her in research and development of a new organic supply chain for the marketing of certified organic beef products, attend an Executive Development Program for Primary Producers and to complete a Graduate Certificate In Business Administration.
This Scholarship announcement comes only two weeks after almost $750,00 was awarded to agribusiness enterprises under the New Industries Development Programme's Pilot Commercialisation Projects (PCP).
This funding will assist agribusinesses to reach the full commercialisation stage of a new product, services or technology. A total of 16 PCP projects have now been funded with expected benefits over the medium term in the vicinity of $280 million dollars and the creation of some 475 jobs.
1 September 2000